GTO 3987 on Mulholland

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Arnold Schwarzenegger

In the early 80s. I founded an organization that mimicked the old Hollywood studio system. We had a hundred actors and a dozen writers and directors at any given time. With this base, the company was like a guerilla army that could make movies effectively anytime the decision was taken. In addition to creating work for these creative individuals in our own projects, we undertook the strategic management of their individual careers so that they were also working in mainstream Hollywood productions. The first thing that happened when a new member came into the fold was to establish his or her 'signature'--that which only he or she could offer as a product.

The promoting of an actors 'signature' was vital since generic jobs are few and far between in Hollywood. It has always astonished me that men and women in the business world seldom recognize this aspect of developing a career and present themselves in a manner that classifies them as a utility player rather than a specialist.

An actor asked me if being defined by 'signature' would be limiting. I told him yes, in the same way that Arnold Schwarzenegger had been limited to multi-million dollar paydays playing Terminator-style roles.

Action/ReAction

Examples of Responsive Reactions

Action/ReAction at Stella Adler

Point of Departure

A Series of ONE...

Stephen and Dragonuk

Stephen Mitchell webinar for Stage 32

Ferrari GTO 3987 at speed by Yan denes

Ray D. Shosay's Journal

Dispatches from a (junior) suite in Paris

Ray D. Shosay's Journal (excerpt)

"Saturday, January 27, 2007

They say you can fool some of the people all of the time. Accordingly, I think we should concentrate on this group initially. We can move on to the people you can only fool some of the time at a later date if we deem it necessary. I hope to hear back from my agent about this as soon as he's out of rehab, as I don't think my messages have been getting through."

Ignorance is Bliss by Stephen Mitchell

Kindle or Paperback versions

Exerpt from Ignorance is Bliss

"Out of the corner of his eye, Martin saw Martha shift in her seat. She leaned forward, as though something was about to be decided. This caused her breasts to push up against the neckline of her dress in a way that couldn't be fully appreciated out of the corner of one’s eye. So, Martin turned his head to look directly into the abyss of her cleavage. He was vaguely aware that Murray was talking again."

Carrera Panamericana (1950-54)

Click on poster to buy the poster and DVD

Ferrari GTO 3987

Elysée Wednesday: Drive!

Addiction Incorporated

Click photo to watch on Amazon Direct Video

Elysée Wednesday

“You ought to meet Steve. The two of you have the same kind of Ferrari.”

Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso

Cannes 2011

One evening, I was enjoying a John le Carré novel and a glass of Bordeaux...

L'art de l'automobile

Dawn Steel

My first Lusso prior to restoration

It was only after Sinatra was gone...

Dino 002

Once upon a time...

Meeting Enzo Ferrari

I came across this on a late night stroll in Paris near the Louvre.

Simone Kussatz interviews Stephen Mitchell

(Click on photo)

(Interview) version française

Christine Astrup (Interview) version française

(Interview)

Stevie Williams (Interview)

David Gritten reviews (Interview)

With Roy_M Martens at Cannes

The Film Portal

Confessions

Rebel, Rebel by Marc Sonnery

Ferrari 'Breadvan' trivia

About Me

I bought Bentleys in England and Ferraris & Maseratis in Italy to re-sell in Los Angeles as a teenager. I met Enzo Ferrari, Juan Fangio and Steve McQueen. I 'grew up' on the set of Mission: Impossible and other episodic TV series of the era. For a few years, I owned a Ferrari GTO that is owned by Ralph Lauren today and valued at approximately $52M. I began my film career by writing, producing and directing Montmartre in Paris in French. I founded and ran a repertory company for film & TV for 20 years in Los Angeles. I created a TV series which had fans that included Marlon Brando. I authored the first new acting technique--Action/ReAction--that was not based on Stanislavski's Method. I am currently writing my third novel and shooting my spy thriller Exigence. If you can't make movies, live your life as though you were in one...